Improvement in automatic boiler-feeders



f ilifliv`dsl-aapaaianni.

. @PAUL NARcIssEJosEPH MAcAniEs, `or PARIS, FRANCE. l `,Lette/rs flljatenlt-N'o. 90,047,1datedll/[ay 11,1869.v v l l. l

IMPROVEMENT 1N AUTOMATIC Bomen-results.

f The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the s'ame.

To rwhhm fit may concern: l d i y Be it known that I, PAUL NARCISSE JOSEPH Maf i GABIES, 'ofl` Paris, in the Empire of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements` in `Viater l Feeding Apparatus for Boilers; and I hereby declare the. following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing Ahad to the accompanying drawings; y 1 y The present invention relates to a method ot'. feeding and supplying', boilers with Water, diiieriug in its essential 'characteristics fr'om` those heretofore used,

lwhich employ the ordinaryfeed-pump, injector', and

`other devices. I v

Different arrangements of my apparatus are used,

according to its application to stationary or movable engines or `locomotives, and they admit of either a constant or permanent level in the boiler, or a level varying at pleasure.

The apparatus 1s also capable of operating automatically, as injectors do, or mechanically, as the ordinary pump. It can take cold waterfrom `great depth land force it at `the highest temperature It can feed at veryfeeble as well as at veryhigh lpressures, and there are no delicate organs, such as there are in pumps and injectors, that `are liableto get out of order,w

I shall iirst describe the arrangement of 1an autoi'natic )iced-apparatus for stationary boilers7 shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.`

It consistsof `two receivers, A A', held'ontop by a balance-lever, d, oscillating on two gudgeons, t, in the column B.

At-their lower ends are vertically-divided chambers G G', which, by means ot stufiing-boxes t" t', are articulated lto the hollow heads K Kyscrewed upon the end -of two'hollow arms, l l', iig. 2,`attached to the heads E and F. These arms] l form, with'the balancellever d, a parallelogram, which maintains at all times the receivers'A A in a vert-ical position.

l The one of the two compartments of the chamber G or G', which receives thesteam, is extended or prolonged to about the height of the receiver A.or A by a plunger-tube, q.

The other compartment which receives the water opens into the base of the same receiver. l

`The two heads, EF, fixed to the tubular arms l l, oscillate on two hollowsockets, C D, 2, attached to the base of the column'B, formed each with two compartments andfour orifices, whichdstribute separately and alternately steam and water into the two receiversA A.

The two sockets, O D,and the two heads or boxes, E F, constitute in effect two four-way cocks.

The cock C Eris intended to distribute steam from the four orifices@ a', b b,.fig. l, `separated-by a partition placed between them. Two oriccs, b b', communicate with the dome ot the steam-generator, and lead the steam to theapparatus. The two others,

a a', permit the steam to escape into the atmosphere or preferably into the water-reservoir.

The other distributing-cock, D E, resembles in all respects the one just described, and distributes the water in the apparatus.

Two orifices, a. a., communicate with the interiorI of the column B, which itself is in Vcommunication with the feed-reservoir. y

The two other orifices b b', communicate through an interior or exterior tube with the base of the boiler or steam-generator. v v In order to prevent thewearing out of the two cocks, they are provided with two conical rings of iron, temperedrsteel, bronze, aluminium, oranti-friction metal.

vBy means of these two distributing-cocks,when one of the receivers communicates with the boiler above and below, the other communicates in like manner with the feed-reservoir. The steam contained in the latter receiver escapes. freely, and is condensed, and the receiver is filled witlnwater.y On the other hand, the other receiver,v receiving steam from above through the plungertube g, will contain water placed between' two equal pressures, which will consequently dow intoV the-boiler by reason of its own specific gravity, just as it would in the open air or atmosphere.` The water thus passing out gives place to au .equal volume of steam, in such manner, thatwhen the one receiver is empty and the other full, either in .whole` o' in part, the equilibrium will be destroyed, and thepositions changed, the receiver which rises filled with steam will be put in communication with the water-reservoir, its steam will escape, or-will be condensed, and

`the water will be forced in by reason of the vacuum thus produced, or by the difference between the levels, if the feed-water should be heated in such manner as not to be able to condense the steam.

As soon' as vthe equilibrium between the two receivers is about to be established, it is destroyed immediately, for by reason of Vthe angle formed by the arms of the lever ll', the receiver, which gains inweighft, will also gain in leverage, whilst that which losesy in weight will also lose inileverage.

`In order'to avoid any shook'or jar in the apparatus, I place upon the column B an oscillating cylinder, P, fig. l, furnished with a water or air-piston. This piston h olds the levers of the receiversA and A', and onlyallows them to drop in proportion tothe escape and entrance ofthe air or waterinto the cylinder, which takes place through a small orifice made therein.

This cylinder oscillates on two gudgeons x, resting on the bearings ln.

The piston-rod o 1s jointed at each end, in two oval slots formed in the large lever cl.

In order to obtain a constant level, the tube which.

conducts the steam into the apparatus is plunged into theboiler as far as the permanent level or water-line.

Whenever this plunger-tube enters the water, the water from the boiler is thrown back into the receiver which is being emptied. The pressure of the steam does not take place in the upper part of thereceiver, and ,this water remains in the receiver' until the steam-inlet tube is opened and filled with steam as far as the end of the plunger-tube g. l

In case the feed-wateris to be taken from a lower level, the orifices c a', of the cock O E, communicate with the interior of the column B, which is thus filled with the feed-water, and acts as an isolated condenser, which hastens the condensation of' the steam, and prevents, by means of the valve o, the water which might remain in that receiver which has just been emptied, from being thrown hack into the feed-reservoir.

The water which is stored inthe chamber B, at the moment when the equiilbriup'gis destroyed, flows, by means of its specific weight, into the. receivers by opening the valve o, and there causes a more speedy condensation.

When, on the contrary, the feed-water is to be taken from a higher reservoir, the water need not be made to pass through the interior of the column B, and by filling said colnmnwith steam, it may be provided with all the safety-apparatus which the boiler usually carries, such as safety-valves, water-gauge, and alarmwhistle, by means of a doat whoserod need not be provided with stuing-hoxes, which feature is very essential to the effective operation of the last two named apparatus.

By means of this double-actingautomatic feeder, I

' am thus enabled to obtain a continuous feed.

Figure 3 of the drawing represents the arrangement of this automatic-feeder with a constant level.

The feed of the cold water, which is drawn from the lower reservoir R, takes place through the tubes a b c.

The tube d is dispensed with, and its orifice closed.

The feed of the heated water from a higher reservoir takes place through the tubes a d d c.

The steam-escape pipe d terminates in a conical tube, which opens immediately opposite the month of the feed-pipe d', in such manner as to hasten the passage of the water into the apparatus.

A constant level is established in all cases by means of the tube c, which is plunged into the boiler as far asA the normal level or water-line.' This tube is enclosed in a perforated jacket, j, the function of which is to prevent the tube c from being affected by theebullition Iof the water, which, without this precaution, would produce-variations of level. i Y

The feed of several boilers can be effected by a single apparatus, if desired, by producing in cach boiler the constant level, no matter what may be the pressure of steam in each of them.

In order to effect this, all that is necessary to do is to place in each boiler (see g. 3) an annular float, operating a rod, t, which regulates, through the plungertube n, a valve, s, which closes the pipe from below. If the boilers operateat different pressures, the valve should be equilibrated.

Secondly, the arrangement of the feeder operated mechanically by movable engines.

The arrangement which has just been described, demonstrates that in order to obtain the automatic movement, it is necessary to employ two receivers, A A', of a capacity sucient to overcome all the friction as well as the loss in length ofthe levers.

'lhese receivers have a little too great a capacity for their employment in small movable machines. To meet this case I have devised an arrangement of apparatus which is operated mechanically by the steam- This feed-apparatus is composed (sec vertical section,

iig. 4,) of a receiver, A, of cast-iron or sheet-metal, car,-

a horizontal arbor, F, receiving a slow movement from the engine.

The valve T distributes steam in the receiver A, the. valve T supplies the same with water. v

The water arrives from the feed-reservoir through the orifice a, and returns to the boiler through the orice b.

The steam arrives through the orifice c, and escapes through the orifice d.

The two'oriiicesa and d, communicate simultaneously with the receiver. U

The steaml escapes through d at the same time that the water enters through a.. i

On the other hand, when the valves T T are elevated to their highest point, the two orifices, a. and d, are closed by the valves; 4the two other orifices, m and u, are open, the one, m, being in communication with the steam-space, the other, n, with the base of the boiler.

The water which has filled the receiver Awill thus flow into the boiler, by reason of the difference between the levels, and give place to a volume of steam which escapes, andis condensed when the valve is again brought to its lowest position.

It will of co'urse be understood that the apparatus should be placed above the water-line of the boiler. It is generally immediately over the boiler.

Thirdly, arrangement of the automatic feeder for locomotives. (See fig. 5.)

the form ofa pump, which is composed of three pistous, of dilerent diameters, fixed upon one and the same rod, and working in one and the same cylinder. The largest. piston'A receives steam through the slide-valve D. The function of this motor-piston-,A is to drive or ram the feed-water through the intermediary of the `piston B furnished with a valve, a.

The smallest piston, O, is continually pressed from below by the pressure of the steam. It serves to cause the other pistons torise to their highest point at the moment when the steam which acts on the piston A has escaped. The piston A should have a surface greater than that of the two pistons, 'C and B The piston O should have a' sucient surface to overcome friction of the pistons, and to lift their weight.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

ters through the orifice d presses these pistons downwards.

The valve a ofthe piston B will be closed, the feedvalve m will open, and the water will fill the space left by the piston B, which itself will force `out the water lying below the closed valve a.

At the moment when these pistons arrive near the t, will bear upon the oscillating lever h, (which is connected with the slide-valve z',) and will thus cause-this valveto rise 'so long as the escape does not takevplace through. the' orifice e.

When the escape does take place, the steam .which rise until the lower stop, g, on the pistou-rod t, touching the lever It, causes the slide-valve to descend anew, and allows the inlet-steam to act on the piston A.

At this'time the slide-valve will remain stationary, and the introduction of steam will continue until, as before stated, the piston travels downward nearly to the end-of its stroke,

In order to insureithe complete unmaskiug or uncovering ofthe distributiug-orifices, I fix, upon the axis of the lever`h, a lever-arm terminating in a toothed segment, r, which regulates a pinion, s.

0n thearbor of this, pinion is mounted a counterrod .of the slide-valves, and forces them entirely open.

Having now described my invention, and the' man When applied in this connection, the apparatus has l When the pistou A is elevated, the steam which enend of their stroke, the stop f, tixed on the piston-rod acts on the piston O, will cause the three .pistons toy poised level', p, which thus acts powerfully upon theA v asset fort l i l 2. l'lhe arrangemeniwith respect to the receivers, ofthe vibrator-y tubular arms for supporting the saine,

ner in which the saine is ormay be carried intoV .effect,

\ `What I claini, and desire to secure by Letters 'Patf ent, iS-A- Y l 1.` The combination ofthe receivers with the tubular supporting-arms and upper lever, arranged to maintain said receivers at all `times in a vertical position,

substantially as set forth.

l3. The combination, with the upper vibra-tory lever, to which the receivers are' connected, of the oscillating `cylinder and its piston-rod, arranged to prevent the excessive movement of `said lever,

substantiallyas shown and setforth. Y 1

4, The combination,with the receivers, tubular arms, `and lever, of thevertical tubular column B, serving as a condenser or steamreservoir, as well /as a support `Afor thedierent organs of the apparatus, substantially as herein shown and set forth. i e

l 5; The arrangement of the jointsand distributingcocks of the receivers and tubes, substantially in the manner herein shown and'specied.

` In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, before two subscribing witnesses. P. N. JQ MACABIES,

, Witnesses: y

F. OLoo'rr,

O. LAFOND. 

